Life, Death, and Purgatory
by V.T. Reaver
Summary: Witch Phoenix, sent by the dying Grand Witch, infiltrates the DMWA, to destroy the Grim Reaper. She is determined to complete the mission because she becomes the new Grand Witch if she does. However she is sidetracked and falls for Kid. KidXOC R&R pls
1. Chapter 1

The bathroom was perfectly symmetrical, and in many ways totally excessive. There were two tubs, two sinks, and two toilets. There wasn't a toiletry out of place. Both tubes of toothpaste were exactly the same, with the same about gone from each. The gold rims on everything were exactly the same. The marble floor was completely symmetrical.

DTK (Death the Kid) was trying to dye his hair again. He looked over the bottle which read "Super Extra Strength Black 001" He carefully measured out the perfect ratios of dye and conditioner. As he applied a brush to his white streaks, he began to fantasize about his perfectly symmetrical look. It would be so great.

Liz walked in at the moment to find DTK with stars in his eyes dancing around madly. An expression of "seriously" came over her face as she backed away closing the door. It would be at least two more hours before she could use the bathroom because DTK would realize the dye didn't work and cry for an hour and a half. He would probably barricade the bathroom door. Still this was better than the time he shaved off all his hair and wore a wig for a week. It was disturbing how happy he was with the wig until the wig itself started to show the three white bands.

The power and representations of a grim reaper is a strange magic, and it wouldn't be ignored under any circumstance. It would be so much better if DTK would just accept that. Liz sighed as she heard loud bouts of weeping coming from the bathroom door followed by "I'm absolutely disgusting, I don't deserve to live." Liz tried the open the door and just as she suspected it was barricaded.

Patty appeared from behind Liz. Her eyes were wide open, as a look of curiosity took over her face. Liz looked exasperated.

"Take it from here Patty" Liz said as she abruptly turned around and left.

"Huh" Patty said flabbergasted

"Why? WHY! WHY!" screamed DTK from the bathroom. Patty suddenly realized what was going on.

"What a minute, don't leave me here" Patty shouted at Liz's disappearing back.

This would be a long day….

_* Episode One – Another witch enters, the deadly enemy implants the poison * _

Phoenix moved calmly. She recently enrolled in DWMA in order to infiltrate and eliminated the Grim Reaper. The Grand Witch sent her because she was the absolute best. Where Medusa had failed she would rise as such were her name, the rising phoenix. She would have to do here best in order to keep her cover. Her soul protect was on giving her the aura of a normal meister. The bell rang seven times giving her the hour. She walked a little faster. Class was starting in a fifteen minutes.

Stein was calling out names on the roster. His monotonous voice radiated his utter indifference. But this feeling was better than madness. He was still worried about how it was over taking him. He felt calmer now. But then he called as name on the roster that send a foreboding chill down his spine.

"Phoenix" He said but he was unable to keep the indifference out of his voice

"Here" said a meek voice in the crowd. Stein looked up to see where the voice was coming from. The girl looked normal, her soul was … small. It was laughable that he would feel any fear towards her. He looked down and continued to call names and felt the indifference wash over him again. This was good.

Phoenix thought for just an instant that the professor suspected her. She wouldn't sweat though or show any emotion other than that of a weak new soul meister. She would swallow her pride for now until the time was right. She took out her books and began to copy the notes on the board. Today's topic was ironically "witches". It was all BS, she knew that. All that the soul meisters knew about witches was only the tip of the iceberg. When class ended Stein told everybody that they had to find a good weapon or meister depending on their status.

Phoenix was neither a meister nor a weapon but under some severe training from the Grand Witch she was able to develop some traits of a weapon. Her witch's soul acted like a weapon if she willed it too. It was an unnatural order though because weapons were supposed to eat ninety-nine Keishan souls before devouring a witch's soul. She already had her own soul which put things slightly out of order. She had also devoured a few human souls as well

"So do you want to be partners" said someone behind her. Phoenix turned to see a small pathetic boy. She considered it for a moment.

"No" She said. Though she was supposed to play the part of a small pathetic girl, she just couldn't accept the boy as her partner.

"You should pick a partner soon" Stein said from behind her. How long has he been there? She didn't even hear a step, so this was the power of a level 4 meister. The witches have underestimated their enemy after all. Phoenix turned around in a strange panicked fashion. She wondered what kind of act she would have to put on in order to kill his suspicions.

"You scared me" Phoenix said in a high pitch. Stein's expression didn't change but Phoenix sensed that his soul seemed more relaxed. Stein was dismissing his feeling as paranoia. Phoenix couldn't be discovered so soon. She had to learn as much as she could in order to bring down the grim reaper, and free the world of death. This was the true natural order of things

"So are you going to pick a partner any time soon" Stein said looking at her using the glare of his glasses to hide his interest. This girl was strange, he knew that much. But his suspicions her dangerousness was killed. She was harmless


	2. Chapter 2

"I think I want a female Meister," Phoenix replied. That was perfect. What is more shy that a girl afraid of boys. Stein smirked.

"Completely harmless" Stein thought. He laughed to himself and began to walk away but out of the corner of his eye he caught a look from Phoenix. His paranoia slipped in again. Why was she so satisfied?

Phoenix turned around in the opposite direction. She had another class with a zombie professor. So there were some that were able to escape death. This would be interesting. Phoenix sat in the front row. She was a bit afraid of the rotting flesh and maggots in her imagination. The zombie professor wasn't that scary at all actually.

"Good morning class I was known as Sid Barrett, when I was alive" said the zombie. He looked really tough but his skin was on right despite its blue color.

"Firstly because of the weapon influx, we encourage all new students to quickly find a meister. Any leftover will be assigned as secondary weapons to older students" Sid said as he was looking over the roster.

Being a secondary weapon would be smart actually. The less that Phoenix was used as a weapon, the less the chance she would be discovered as a witch. Other students flinched at the thought of being a secondary weapon. They would pair up quickly. This mission would be too easy. Phoenix smirked and that expression was caught by Sid.

"Don't be cocky. Finding a good partner is harder than you would think. Wave frequency compatibility is actually a difficult thing to find. It takes teamwork and trust, so brush your egos aside" Sid said while looking directly at Phoenix. She should have been more careful. Every teacher here was exceptionally observant. But soon she would adapt and concur.

_*Chapter Two: Duel Soul: The twin swords, Go away you're annoying!*_

Phoenix as planned remained without a meister for another two weeks. By then all the new meisters had paired up. Phoenix knew she was being watched and her refusal of partners would draw suspicion. So for two weeks she pretended to be sick at home. People didn't bother that much, she did receive a few strange get will cards from various school mates but that was it.

"Phoenix" Stein said "Come with me, it seems that you and a few other weapons didn't pair up"

"It's just my luck, getting sick so early in the semester" Phoenix replied scratching the back of her head.

"Well, anyway, come with me" Stein repeated with indifference.

This response was normal enough. Phoenix followed shyly. Stein led her to a room. There were five other weapons there and three meisters. She walked in on an argument between two people. Phoenix recognized two of her classmates. The other four weapons where probably first weapons.

"I'm glad I'm getting a new weapon" A gray haired girl screamed "You're horrible". She had cool green eyes.

"Well you never listen to me and you have FAT ANKLES" screamed a white haired boy. He had demon red eyes.

"MAKA CHOP" screamed the girl as she smashed a book into the boy's head. He resigned into a smoking pile

"Everyone be quiet," said Stein, his voice was slightly elevated but conveyed the same indifference. The students calmed down as Phoenix took her place.

"These are the three top level one meisters" Stein said "They have each earned a new second weapon"

"Hi I'm Maka" She said waving brightly. Her weapon kicked the dirt behind her, with his hand in his pockets.

"I'm Black star" said a short kid loudly, "I'm sure you must be intimidated by a Star as big as me…"

"I'm DTK" said the last meister as he stepped in from front of black star.

"Hey I wasn't finished" Black Star screamed. The girl behind him tried to calm him down. She was probably his first weapon.

"Okay now, weapons show them your forms" Stein said sipping his coffee. When did he get that coffee?

The first two students showed their forms. The first student was gigantic sling shot. The meisters expectations suddenly dropped. They were sullen now. The second student was a small kunai. The meisters became even more sullen. Phoenix suddenly felt a panic, but she was sick until now, right. That was a good excuse to why she remained unpaired until now. Phoenix transformed.

Before her form solidified DTK realized something. Phoenix's soul was perfectly symmetrical, the designs were same on each side of her soul orb was marked the same way. Each side had a wing. Most souls were asymmetrical, with tails or spikes. When the smoke cleared it became clear why her soul was symmetrical.

Her weapon form was a pair of perfectly symmetrical swords. On each hilt was beautiful wing. DTK's eyes began to glimmer. Patty and Liz looked at each other.

"Don't even think about it Kid, that weapon is mine" said Maka stepping forward. Suddenly there was a lot of hair pulling.

Phoenix remembered that she said she preferred girls. No time to change her story now even though DTK would have made a much better partner. He was much closer to the Grim Reaper and therefore made her mission simpler. While DTK and Phoenix argued, the smoke that formed caused Phoenix to have sudden flashback,

_Flash Back_

The Grand Witch was mostly smoke and vapors. Phoenix was on the ground in a pool of her sweat. Training was torturous. It was here where her doubt was eliminated as well as her fear. But at the time she was weak, she was still fearful, she still felt pain. She was in a circular room with pillars doubling the walls.

"Phoenix, let go of your weakness, let go of your misconceptions of right and wrong" said the GW (Grand Witch). She moved around in the darkness

Phoenix was lying in a pool of sweat not from vigorous exercise but because floating in front of her was a human soul. It was quivering and providing the only light in the room. She was ordered to eat it. She didn't know how long she had been there. Why did the very core of her being told her not to do it?

"Phoenix, right or wrong, it's only what you make it… Daughter" the GW said whispering something that Phoenix longed to hear. That's right she was the GW's daughter, but it now that the GW acknowledged it. Phoenix killed the last of her humanity and swallowed the soul. The light in the room was gone. It was all black.


	3. Chapter 3

Phoenix changed back into her regular form. DTK saw that her human form was perfectly symmetrical. Most people were slightly asymmetrical in their bodies, their arms were longer than one another, or one eye was droopier. There was endless ways for a body to be distorted but Phoenix was exactly symmetric. DTK knew that he had to have her as his weapon. She smiled and scratched the back of her head, embarrassed.

"I think I want to be Maka's partner" Phoenix said looking a little uncomfortable. Stein recalled that Phoenix had said she wanted a female partner, but it was also important for her to break out of her shell. Stein had finally put his paranoia on the back burner. He reckoned that it was probably Medusa that had caused this paranoia in the first place. She had infiltrated the school without resistance but surely this small girl wasn't a witch. So far her personality was perfectly consistent. No need to worry about her yet. Stein suddenly turned his attention to other new recruits, could it be them. Maybe they were the witches. That would explain their lame weapon forms. Maybe they were fakes. For the time being Phoenix was off the hook.

"Yes, I get a new weapon" Maka said cheering and putting her fist in the air. Soul sighed in the background.

"Do you really think you can handle her, after all you're use to using a one handed weapon" said Soul. He was always Maka's voice of reason when she went crazy.

"Precisely, I should have her" injected DTK "After all I'm use to handling a duel weapon" Stein thought for a moment. This girl really needed to get out of her shell.

"No way, a weapon like that should be long to me" Said Black Star "Because only I, Black Star, can do that weapon justice". There was a moment of fighting and yelling while Phoenix looked embarrassed on the side. They then all proceeded to look at Stein for a decision.

"I agree with…" He paused for a moment for a suspenseful effect "Kid, you can have Phoenix"

When everyone was paired up Stein decided to leave for a walk. At first it was calming. Stein could hear the crunching of leaves at his feet. It was fall now, turning into winter soon. It was then that a bird flew by.

"I wonder how … it looks on the inside" Stein thought without a motive. A biting need to dissect things rushed on to the surface. He broke into a run. The Keishan eye was just behind him always bidding him into madness. He needed some cool water on his face. He needed to collect some sanity. But suddenly he tripped. The madness was ripping through him. He needed to see blood, veins, flesh, coils of brains.

"Are you alright professor?" A voice said into his darkness. Stein looked up to see Phoenix. She looked worried. Her soul frequency was perfect, like the rhythmic curve of cosine. His madness was buried within seconds. Stein could see now why she was such a good stabilizer. She was all that embodied in order and in symmetry. No wonder why her weapon form was duel swords.

"Professor, are you okay?" She questioned again.

"Yea just tripped over my shoe lace, I supposed" Stein said apathetically as he stood up. He quickly brushed himself off.

He looked at Phoenix. She was trembling as if something suddenly frightened her. Her eyes were looking through him or perhaps into him. Had she sensed the madness?

"Someone…." She began with fear saturated in every word "Someone is looking at you". So she did see the madness. She saw the Keishan eye staring at Stein. But it couldn't pass the barrier of her harmonious wavelength.

"What do you see" Stein said feverishly. He looked in the direction of her gaze. He saw nothing but trees and birds. He began to walk in that direction in order to get an understanding of what she saw. It was clear that she saw the Keishan eye but where was it?

"No stop, it's going to get you" Phoenix yelled. Stein stopped abruptly. Something was there, something he couldn't see. Phoenix ran to Stein's side. Her gaze never left the eye. She realized something. The eye was looking rapidly around. To the eye, Stein had disappeared maybe if they waited long enough. It would leave. They stood there for another few minutes. Stein tried to focus on what Phoenix was staring at. But he saw nothing.

"It's gone" Phoenix said sighing. She wiped her brow. "What was that thing?"

"It was the Keishan madness" Stein said. Phoenix had only heard whispers about the Keishan. The Guild never messed with madness, it wasn't the way. The Keishan was the embodiment of chaos and fear. Witches though occasionally enjoyed chaos, to each their own personal taste, despised fear. Fear was weakness. Fear was compassion, a misconception, the limiting factor, the agent of undoing. Witches were trained never to feel fear above all else. In this way their power became limitless.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Stein asked. He didn't waste any time, as if he was always analyzing her, which of course he was. Did he detect her thoughts? How could he?

Phoenix just saved his life but he was so ungrateful. That's exactly what she expected. All weapons and meisters were self centered jerks. They probably slaughtered thousands of witches in there hunt for power, in order to smother their fear. Wasn't it true that the first Keishan was not a witch, but a meister? Phoenix felt her fiery anger bubble on the surface but she had to maintain her cover.

"Oh, I was a little overwhelmed by DTK. He insisted that I wear only completely symmetrical clothing" Phoenix said. That was true enough. Then as if by magic DTK was running towards them

"Wait Phoenix, where are you going" DTK said with stars in his eyes "I thought we were going to do some battle cerography". Phoenix sighed. When he said "cerography," Phoenix thought he meant practice. But instead he really meant placement. In a battle he wanted everything to be precise, to the centimeter. He was also insistent on certain poses that everyone should assume. It was maddening to say the least.

"Get away from me" Phoenix said while running in the opposite direction. Stein felt wind from them rushing past him but he couldn't join in the comedic effect. Phoenix was different. Maybe she was a witch after all but then again why had she protected him from the Keishan. Things didn't add up, or maybe she was making a play to throw off his game. He was in deep thought.

"Stein what are you doing sitting there" Said a voice that broke his concentration. It was Marie this time. She looked brightly at him, waving with one hand. Her other hand was laden with groceries. She was obviously on her way back to the lab/house that they shared. The girly floral things she brought in were a bit much but the tea cups were a nice touch. Stein then realized that he was sitting cross legged on the concrete floor and somehow a cigarette had made its way into his hand.

Stein knew there was a vast difference between himself and Marie. Marie was the embodiment of kindness, she was light itself. He, on the other hand was darkness, always on the brink of destruction. They could never be together yet while she waved at him, he was fooled. Just for an instant maybe he could finally be … happy. He got up slowly off the ground and walked towards her. He took the groceries off her hand and they proceeded to walk home silently.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Raw hands, and hurt feelings. Why does it have to be this way?

DTK's hands were burnt. He saw a blister forming on each hand. Well at least it was symmetrical. That helped the situation a little.

"Why can't I hold Phoenix" DTK thought as he bandaged his hands. He wrapped them so they would be symmetrical to each other. But more over he, felt as if Phoenix wasn't surprised that this was happening. It was like she knew that he couldn't hold her without excruciating pain. It was like placing his hand on top of an open flame, yet he managed to hold on for a few minutes. Why had he been so determined to use the swords?

Phoenix knew why they were incompatible. She was hoping that the burning would keep his hands of her. The less time she spent as a pseudo weapon the better. She was always running the risk of being caught. Phoenix had counted on her witch's blood and his reaper body to react badly so that she could transform into a weapon less often. Who could be less of a match? She was the next GW and him next in line to be Lord Death. Yet despite that he still wanted to wield her. Maybe a few more third degree burns would kill his desire.

"Let's stop for the day" Phoenix said looking at his heavily bandaged hands. DTK seemed a little reluctant even at a time like this. Was he serious? Finally he nodded and walked silently toward his house. Phoenix followed behind leaving a large gap between them

"I know why I can't use her" DTK thought "It's because filthy asymmetrical scum like me can't hope to use a perfect weapon like her". Oh why did his hair have to be asymmetrical? Why did his soul have to have a little flaw here and there? And why, for the love of god, was she so indifferent about it all? Maybe she didn't want him as her meister. She did say that she wanted to be Maka's weapon after all.

DTK hands still ached but the thought of symmetrical blisters and symmetrical bandaging took the edge off. He held the door for Phoenix but when he turned around, she was gone. DTK suddenly felt a wave of panic. Did she go to find Maka after all? That would be a disaster, what if she could hold Phoenix. He would never get the chance to have those cool blades.

He ran around the perimeter of his house which was pretty far. Then he spotted Phoenix. She looked extremely frightened. When she caught sight of him, she immediately started running towards him. Things began to rapidly happen after that. First images of violently asymmetrical stuff filled his head. This was the Keishan madness.

Why was Phoenix afraid? Didn't witches eliminate that fear in her? But the Keishen was different, he was absolute madness, and he was also absolute fear. Phoenix reached DTK in time. Thought it wasn't her mission to protect him, she felt that she had too. She wouldn't let the Keishan defeat him. That was her job. DTK shook out of it as Phoenix's harmoniously oscillating soul drove away the madness.

"Do you see it" Phoenix asked shaking DTK slightly. DTK looked around, and his superior reaper eyes did see it. It was faint, but at the right angle, the shadows casted around by the trees, appeared to have eyes. Phoenix wondered why this was happening again. Maybe the targets weren't them, maybe it was her?

The Grand Witch had wrangle information out of the toad witch before executing her. Her official charge was helping the wolf man escape. That was a crime worthy of a thousand deaths. After all, it was the wolf man who stole the GW's left eye, and thus her immortality. This was why she was dying now, and why Phoenix had to complete this mission. She would be her successor, and when she was the GW, the DWMA would fall to ashes. But unlike her it would never rise again.

The witch toad had spilled some information on Medusa's failure, but she also mentioned Arachne. She had the Keishan. Was it her that was targeting Phoenix? Surely she didn't think that she had a change to become the GW. That was laughable because Arachne was an exile. She was considered the scum of the earth. The GW never forgot how she worked with a soul meister in order to create magical weapons. She was a fool to stray, and now she was a fool for standing in Phoenix's way.

DTK was standing close to Phoenix looking at the eyes in the shadows. They were unfocused as if they were trying to look for something. Phoenix pulled him closer hoping that it would convince him that he was the target. It worked.

"Why are they looking for me" DTK said out loud. Then he realized just how close Phoenix was to him. He turned crimson and looked the other way. Hopefully she wouldn't notice. Phoenix was intent on the Keishan eye. Maybe she could… force it away. But how could she release her soul-protect at a time like this. That wasn't a good idea. They stood there in stillness for a long time. The eye did not disappear but instead it seemed to focus more. It was going to find her if she didn't deal with it. Maybe she could do something a little more unorthodox.

She willed herself into a half transformation, so that both her arms became like sword ends. Would this be enough to harmonize the space and drive away the Keishan?

"No, that won't do it" DTK said. He grabbed on to her arm and she transformed all the way. She became the duel gleaming winged swords. It burned through his bandages but he only needed to swing once. Phoenix willed herself to sync her soul wavelength as much as possible. DTK the kid swung both swords at once in a cross.

A cross shaped light beam charged towards the Keishan eyes. They were banished. DTK dropped the swords. He would have to bandage his hands again. Phoenix transformed back into her human form. DTK thought for a moment, and through his pain it gave him hope. This time it wasn't as bad as the last time. The burning was there but it was less than before. Maybe one day they would be a good weapon meister pair. That was enough for now

Phoenix could have healed his hands right there. As was her name she possessed all of the properties of a Phoenix. This included tears that healed and a screech that burned. But she couldn't heal him without revealing that she was a witch. She felt conflicted for a split second. It was his action that saved her from the Keishan eye. But she had a mission to do, for her dying mother. He was her savoir at the moment. But, when she became the GW and He, the Grim Reaper, they would become mortal enemies. It couldn't be helped. The fatal rift was ascribed as birth. They were destined to destroy each other.


	5. Chapter 5

Phoenix was walking to school. School began at seven but DTK was still getting prepared. He wanted to arrive at eight, one hour late. Phoenix sighed, but at least she had this time to reformulate her plans. The Grand Witch gave her specific instructions on how to kill a Grim Reaper. Yes it was possible for it to happen. The Grim Reaper, master of death, could die and cross over to where he reaped.

The Grim Reaper's soul was bound to Death City. All she had to do was lure him out of the city. He would last a little while before he died. She just had to figure out was worth his life. What would he leave the city for? She knew the answer. She had to take DTK out of the city and send an ultimatum to Lord Death. He would come, and then she would kill them both. That was the plan.

But then why was there a guilt biting at her. Was it because DTK had saved her from the Keishan? Did she own him a life? That was ridiculous and yet the guilt intensified in her core.

"No, this was weakness" Phoenix thought. "I will never allow myself to be weak". Yes DTK had saved her. He was a fool and ultimately that would cost him his life. Let's not forget, DWMA had killed countless witches in cold blood. This was revenge. She would slay the Grim and his son. This was the plan. There was no way Grim would leave Death city unless it was to kill her. After Grim sees his son's mangled body, he would lose his senses. He would battle Phoenix and then it would be too late. His body and soul would be apart for too long. Then he would die.

Phoenix was suddenly stirred out of her thoughts.

"I, Black Star, challenge you to a battle" Black Star said. He was pointing at Phoenix.

"Isn't this an unfair fight, my meister isn't even here" Phoenix said. What a fool, did he really thing he had a chance. She would burn him to a crisp if she wanted to.

"I agree you are at a disadvantage" Black Star said proudly. He dropped Tsubaki on the ground and then crossed his arms behind his back.

"I don't want to fight" Phoenix said. It wouldn't be much of a fight anyway. Her flames would have devoured him

"You dare to dishonor me, the one who surpasses god?" Black Star "How dare you!"

Black Star came rushing towards Phoenix. He was fast but she was faster. She moved to the side and Black Star slid into the trees

"I've underestimated you" Black Star said as he charged again.

Phoenix was about to dodge again but then it was as if his body disappeared. Phoenix wasn't use to feeling pain. No one was really that good, good enough to damage her. She was surprised as her body was tossed into the dirt. His soul wave length coursed through her. It was painful. She winced. She had taken some internal damage.

"Are you giving up already" Black Star said triumphantly "I don't even count this as a battle, you were too weak an opponent to give me any honor"

"That bastard" Phoenix thought as she unsteadily got up. If she could have released her Soul-Protect, he would have been burned to ashes just from her soul's wavelength. She couldn't do that though. But she couldn't let him win either. She transformed her arms into twin swords.

"I'm not giving up that easy" Phoenix said. Black Star smirked. She was definitely worth to be his weapon. This was the test.

Black Star charged again, keeping his arms firmly behind his back. Let's see if she would get up again. What was this? There was contact and resistance. Black Star looked at what he hit. Standing in front of Phoenix was DTK.

"What do you think you're doing Black Star" DTK said. His voice was humorless.

"This is my battle…" Phoenix said. She tried to stand but she couldn't. She wasn't weak. She had to fight Black Star. But was this really a fair fight. She couldn't release her Soul-Protect. The Soul-Protect hid the witch resonance but at a price. She lost seven eights of her power. She winced. No, even with one eight her soul, she would burn Black Star. But despite her determination, her body wouldn't let her get up.

"Stupid body, get up" she thought. Somehow she made it on to her feet.

"Phoenix, I am your meister, don't be so reluctant of my protection" DTK said seriously. He turned around to Black Star. He had overstepped his line.

"Death Cannon" He said, and two twin shots blasted into Black Star. That would knock him out and give him enough bruises for the trouble he caused.

"Damn him, why did he have to be so cool at a time like this" Phoenix thought. Why did she have to kill him? He was for the most part no so bad of a guy. Wait, she couldn't have thoughts like this. This was compassion, this was weakness. She had to hate him. This would give her the strength to destroy him, and the Grim Reaper.

DTK stood triumphantly until he realized something. He began to quiver. Oh no, what had he done. He fell over on the floor. He wasn't so cool after all. Liz and Patty were consoling DTK. He was crying profusely while lying face down on the floor.

"How could I let this happen" DTK said through tears "Something like this could ruin my life forever, How could the future Grim Reaper, so something so horrible"

What did he do? He forgot to put a ring on his left pointer finger. His hands were asymmetrical for a whole five minutes.

"Look Kid, your hand is fine now" Liz said as Patty laughed in the background. She put the ring on to his pointer finger "We have to go, Lord Death sent us on a mission"

"A mission?" asked Phoenix, she really didn't care though. She had to feign some normal emotion to fool them into her façade.

"Yes Lord Death has sent us to defeat Arachne, while he deals with Asura" Liz said matter-of-factly. This was bad, if Asura killed Lord Death, she would never get the title of Grand Witch. It had to be her that destroyed him. She would have to kill Asura. The plan was in motion. She had to act.


	6. Chapter 6 and 7

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe! I started writing this with the knowledge of 1-40 episodes. Of course the show progressed rapidly and the storyline no longer works with the original show.

The Mission date was set for two weeks from now. Phoenix was quietly meditating in her room. Everything had to go right. She had to destroy the Arachne, the Keishan, and both Grim Reapers. What could she expect, what could she prepare for? There was a lot to think about. She was interrupted out of her thoughts by eight knocks on the door, exactly one second apart from each other

"What is it, Kid" Phoenix said highly irritated. She had become a lot bolder since the start of their partnership. It was hard to keep meek and shy around someone so infuriating.

"I thought we could train for a bit" DTK said while putting his pointer fingers together. By practice he really mean choreography, Phoenix knew that line my now. On the off chance that he really did want to practice, Phoenix would still refuse. His hands were still extremely burnt because he never gave them any time to heal.

"No, I'm busy" Phoenix said. It struck her that she was busy planning his death. Why did that sudden pang of guilt twist her stomach again? They were mortal enemies. He had only protected her from the Keishan and Black Star because he didn't know that. If he knew who she truly was, he would stop at nothing to end her life.

"Stop it, Phoenix, stop feeling guilty" Phoenix thought to herself. The feeling lingered. No! She could not be weak. This was it. This was the mission that would make her the Grand Witch. What was she doing, having doubts at this moment? Why couldn't she convince herself?

Suddenly Phoenix felt a breeze from the window. Did she leave it unlocked? She looked that way. One of the windows was open and DTK was standing in her room.

"Didn't I tell you to lock your window" DTK said. It was another of his obsessive tendencies. He liked everything closed and locked. The thought of a sudden gust of wind opening one window, but not its symmetric counterpart chilled him to the bone.

"I would have if I knew you would be breaking into my room" Phoenix said shocked. Phoenix tried to shove him back out the window. How did he climb up this high? Phoenix's room was in a very high tower in this mansion. Phoenix pushed forcefully but DTK didn't budge.

"Oh come on, we need to practice, not that we need it to bring down Arachne" DTK said. He seemed unmovable but then he realized something. He left the window open! The whole room was asymmetrical now. Oh my god, how long had it been that way. Suddenly DTK fell over.

"Something like this could ruin my life" DTK said into the polished floor "I'm garbage, trash, just throw me away with last night's leftovers"

Phoenix closed the window. She sighed. His perfection was getting on her nerves. She felt like stomping on his face while he laid there powerless.

"I knew it be someone like you, who would close the window" DTK said with his face still on the ground, "Symmetry begets symmetry".

He began to cry some more until his words became intelligible babble. It was then that a huge crash destroyed the outside wall. It was Black Star. He had caused one of the statues on the outside wall fall into her room. This guy never quits.

"Heh, with reflexes like that, you can't hope to defeat me!" Black Star said. He was standing on the concrete steps outside. He stared at the statue with a gleam in his eyes. It was still for a second until it began to crack.

"Huh" Black Star thought.

The statue blew away revealing a sphere. The sphere was composed of two perfect white feathered wings. It was the wings of the rising Phoenix. They parted to reveal Phoenix with the wings connected to her shoulder blades. Also inside the sphere was DTK. He had a look of astonishment on his face. Phoenix looked absolutely furious. Phoenix had gotten stronger, though her Soul-Protect blocked out seven eights of her power, a stronger soul still had its benefits. She was able to use her wings again without revealing her witch's frequency.

"Black Star" Phoenix said "You are going to pay for that dearly"

"You can't possibly hope to defeat someone like me" Black Star said. There was a flash, a white light past through him. Before he could realize anything he was already falling. He didn't even the chance to think, how was I defeated so quickly, before he went unconscious. DTK looked as Black Star fell to the ground. Then he stared up at Phoenix who was floating in place.

It was here that he realized something. That faint whisper of frequency, so that's why he couldn't hold her. Then a second feeling washed over. He liked her. It wasn't because she was perfectly symmetrical. Even her wings were so perfect. It was because she didn't hesitate for a second. When that crash happened she had instinctively protected him. She was willing to save him and yet so reluctant to receive help from him. Phoenix looked over at him. His eyes were filled with… admiration, and … could it be …? What had she gotten herself into? She descended on the ground below and her wings dissolved into the air.

Why did she save him? She convinced herself that it was because she needed him to lure the Grim Reaper into a trap. But at the time she wasn't thinking about that all. She was thinking about shielding him. Why she thought that, she didn't know. She didn't want to know. This was all a façade. This was nothing more than a mission. She had to convince herself of this

"Maybe you should call a repair crew" Phoenix shouted up at him. Good, this would keep him busy while she collected her thoughts. DTK looked around.

"Absolutely disgusting" DTK said, "Now this whole house is asymmetrical!"

Back to Back update, won't be updating over the weekend

Chapter 7: Side Mission: Wolf Man, an eye for an eye! No hesitation

DTK, the Thomson sisters and Phoenix were walking through the swamp. More correctly DTK was on his skate board, deadly afraid to get any slime on his clothes. He was also holding an umbrella just in case any dew from the trees above decided to fall on him. What a big baby he was!

Phoenix was assigned as back up but she knew that as soon as the Wolf Man showed up, she would devour him with flames. He was the reason that her mother was dying. He was lower than the dirt, and had only stolen the immortal eye under very specific circumstances. How could you steal something from an immortal? Only the underhanded slime of the earth could figure that one out.

He waited until she was weak. When she was in labor with the Phoenix, this was time to strike. The Grand Witch wouldn't have a problem protecting herself even after labor but, how could she protect her infant child? The Grand Witch had turned over her immortal eye in order to protect her child's life. The immortal eye was a very special object. It could never be stolen from the owner. It had to freely given. A secondary rule is that the Immortal eye never passes the same hand twice, meaning that the immortal eye couldn't save the Grand Witch from death now that she had passed it on.

So this was how it was going to work. Phoenix would apply amounts of torture that would make even Stein blush. Then as the Wolf man begged for death, he would free give the immortal eye to Phoenix. Then she would kill him. When the Wolf Man was in witch prison, they had treated him humanly hoping to acquire the immortal eye that way. That wasn't the way, this man needed to feel the pain. He needed to drown in it.

Liz stopped suddenly and Phoenix accidentally bumped into her. Phoenix was a little too deep in her thoughts.

"Hey watch it!" Liz yelled "Look where you're going, you klutz"

That was another thing. Liz was really angry with Phoenix all the time. Phoenix knew why, that was obvious. Even though she was a secondary weapon, at the moment DTK was practicing with her twice as much as both Liz and Patty. They were afraid of getting replaced. They weren't so angry at first, but that was because DTK hands burned when he touched Phoenix. Now that was different. Ever since that little incident with Black Star wreaking the side of their house, they had been working a lot better. The burning became an itch and finally it had ceased all together.

"Sorry Liz, I know, I'm such a Klutz" Phoenix said blushing slightly. She wasn't sorry about the bump. Nor was she sorry about being a meister hog. She was sorry that eventually she would have to kill DTK, and possibly her. But of course Liz didn't know all that.

Damn it, Phoenix was weak after all. Feeling all this guilt, remorse, and possible even fear, this was not the witch's way. But she couldn't fight it, every time DTK wielded her. On some level she knew that they could have been friends in another life. Damn it guilt, why wouldn't it go away!

"Just watch it next time. You're the newbie in the team, and you should respect your seniors" Liz continued. She was really mad. Patty looked at Liz in the background. Clearly she didn't share the same feelings, most of the time she was oblivious to any bad feelings.

DTK turned around. He sent a glare towards Liz. She became quiet at once. They started walking again in silence. Then they felt it, the faint wavelength of the Wolf Man. Phoenix felt her anger bubble, she would kill him. She would put him through pain unlike any other. This pain would drive him into madness, this pain would drive him to spill all his secrets, mess with his idea of reality, and make him question his perception. Then finally when he is on the brink of becoming another Keishan, he will gladly offer her the eye, in exchange for his death. She would gladly accept.

When she looked up, she saw him. The Wolf Man suddenly appeared before them. Phoenix smiled wickedly. She became the shadows. DTK looked around surprised. Phoenix had disappeared. Where was this skill when they were training? She was holding back.

DTK had figured out Phoenix was a witch for a while now. Even though being a traitor took away his sleep at night, he couldn't bring himself to hurt her. When he had sensed the faint witch's frequency during their fight with Black Star, he realized a lot of things. Though she was his mortal enemy, he could not hate her. He accepted the fact that she was witch without any resistance and because of this they were able to work together. The burning disappeared almost instantly. Though DTK had thought of a million ways to say "By the way, I know you're a witch" to phoenix, it never seemed right to bring it up. He didn't know why she was there, what she was up to. For all he knew, she was sent to kill him. If that was the case, his life would end right after he confronted her, because he knew in his heart, he could not destroy the symmetry that was her.

Phoenix became a light streak that charged at Wolf in all directions at once. She would burn him to a crisp, when he regenerated, she would do it again.

"Gaahhh" Screamed the wolf man "That hurts" Did he take pleasure in stating the obvious? What a fool. Surely the world would be better without such scum living in it.

DTK prepared his death cannon while Phoenix continued to bring on the pain.

"Noise level, 5.3%" said Patty. That was a bit on the high end. Something was off.

"Fire" DTK said, though he couldn't shake the feeling that their solid bond had been somewhat shaken. Liz was mad at him, and at Phoenix.

The Death Cannon fired out shots at the Wolf Man. There was huge explosion and a cloud of smoke covered the area. When the smoke finally cleared, DTK saw something that made his jaw drop. Standing in front of the Wolf Man was Phoenix. She was in a defending position, with her arms out to the side. She had taken the hit

"This is my fight, Kid" Phoenix said darkly "I don't need your help". She looked furious. The Wolf Man standing behind her looked amused despite the fact that he could barely stand. DTK melted into the ground. He was trash, he had damaged the perfect aesthetic beauty that was her. He was the most vile and despicable creature that crawled on the earth. He was like that ugly fish with two eyes on one side of its face and none on the other, the fish that dragged its belly on the ocean floor.

"Arrogant b*!%h" Wolf said "You dare to show you're back to me!" He made a swipe at her. Phoenix disappeared again as if the Death Cannon didn't faze her. In truth she had taken some internal damage from that. It could have been worse if she wasn't in sync with DTK soul wavelength. The fact that she was protected her from part of the damage. She coughed up a little red discharge. That sucked. But it was better than accepting their help. This was her fight.


	7. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Decisive Battle: Arachne's Trap, and the True Magic Eye.

The Wolf man was on the brink of death but he seemed happy as he had the final laugh.

"I want to tell you something" He said to Phoenix. Phoenix knew he was no longer a threat. He had given her the magic eye. She leaned in to hear his final words. Whatever he had to say would probably deface him more. She wanted to hear his pathetic last words, so that she could have an eternally bad memory of him. So that whenever she remembered all the people she had burned, he would be at the bottom, of the lowest regard.

"I know who you are" He whispered. DTK knew that this was private conversation between them. He walked away a distance until him Reaper ears couldn't hear any more. Phoenix looked at his retreating figure disappear into the trees. That was nice of him, uncharacteristically nice. He never ever gave her any privacy at home. But why were her thoughts wandering at a time like this. The dying wolf was going to speak his last sniveling words.

"You are the rising Phoenix, daughter of the Grand B*$!h" He said chuckling, which caused him to spew out blood. He deserved it. So he knew that much. That wasn't much.

"You've come for revenge" He said laughing "But I know something you don't. You're mom lied to you, I didn't steal her immortality, that was you". What the hell was he saying? How dare this man spew out such atrocities against her?

"The witch's eye isn't her immortality. You were her immortality." The wolf said. Well if that was true, then why was he dying now, wasn't that directly a result of giving her the eye.

"You're a liar" Phoenix screamed. She was shaken, this man was warping reality. Her anguish only made him laugh more. What was he saying? Why was he laughing? Phoenix wanted answers but right then he died. He didn't die as normal things did. There was no rattle or fear, it was a whisper. He had died in peace. He didn't deserve that. He should have died with anguish, in pain, with regret.

"Get up you slime" Phoenix said shaking his corpse "You don't get the last laugh. You don't deserve to die with anything". Phoenix was violently shaking him by his collar. It took her a few minutes to realize that she was crying. DTK was still standing by the trees. What did this mean? Did the Wolf mean something to her? Where they something before she had to kill him? It sure seemed that way from his point of view. His point of view caused him a huge of amount of jealousy. How could this be, jealous of some dead guy? Yea… some dead guy that Phoenix was crying over.

Then the miraculous happened. The wolf chocked back to life from the other side. The Phoenix tears had saved him from death. Miles away the Grim Reaper had felt it too. Something had slipped from his all encompassing grasp. DTK being a reaper also felt it. There was a tear in logical reality. Wolf shouldn't be alive but he was.

"Wha… what did you do?" Wolf screamed. He was still coughing up blood. "I can't be here". He had seen the bigger picture. Reality was warping, this was not good. Phoenix's nature was harmony and order. Yet it was her act that had distorted nature and harmony. She was damaged, her mother had lied to her, and she knew it now. It was true, it explained everything. Her mother always looked at her with disdain in her eyes. She always thought it was because she indirectly caused the lost of the immortal eye. So this was why the Grand Witch never took the eye back from the wolf, because it didn't mean anything. It was just a few spatial magic tricks. The Wolf never acquired immortality at all. She was the immortality all along.

"You don't deserve to die like that" Phoenix said. She was feeling so distorted, the harmony in her soul was gone.

"Absolutely disgusting" She heard DTK say in the background. He saw it too, the disharmony in her distorted soul. Then he blew the wolf away from her grasp with his death cannon. He was dead again. Phoenix turned to DTK. Her soul had become asymmetrical. One of her soul's wings was broken. It fluttered in pain and the harmony was gone.

The Kishen eye appeared before her. It was attracted to the disharmony that radiated out of her. DTK knew that he had to act fast before she became a Kishen. He ran towards her, but madness was invading his head. He crashed into and instinctively wrapped his arms around her. The darkness in her soul subsided and her soul harmonized again. She was silent though, looking at the ground as he held her.

_Some time passes_

DTK lead the way to Arachne's castle. They had to be quiet. This was supposed to be an assassination. Lord Death gave strict orders for them to lead the Keishan back to death city. Killing Arachne would enrage the Keishan enough so that he would follow them back. This was the official plan.

Phoenix would release her Soul-Protect. Then she would kill Arachne for her betrayal of the witch's council. Arachne was slime, the scum of the earth. It would be befitting for the next Grand Witch to eradicate such a disease. She would also kill the Keishan. Then she would turn to DTK.

"How much farther" Phoenix whispered. They ran silently, erasing their breath. They were going to do a quick job of it. That was the plan. No one answered because in the second it became apparent. The castle appeared in the horizon and they ran towards it with great speed. The cover of night hid then from the castle security system, which were probably some half asleep guards.

They began to scale the castle. Arachne would never know what hit her. They all climbed upward, even DTK. He hated the thought of a jagged rock tearing his clothes but didn't dare to use his skateboard lest it make too much noise. They made it to a window and climbed through.

"We were expecting you" Arachne said smiling. She was sitting. Arachne's eyes glazed over Phoenix. So she didn't know who Phoenix was. That could be fixed.

"Were you expecting this?" Phoenix said. She released her Soul-Protect. DTK was stunned, now that she revealed herself it would set off a chain of events. Would they ever see each other again once the DWMA was on her tail.

A look of pure fear spread across Arachne's previously normal face. Phoenix was an immortal like the Grim Reaper. There was no way that Arachne could ever defeat her. Phoenix's form was blazing with glory. Now that her soul protect was gone, she was free to burn everything to ground. DTK was processing all the ramifications of her actions. Was she going to kill him now?

"You…" Arachne said "Could you be….?"

"Do you know who I am?" Phoenix smirked, "I am the next Grand Witch, and you're executioner"

Two bright wings burst forth from her shoulder blades. She was the next Grand Witch. DTK stood absolutely still. Mortal enemy was an understatement. They were polar opposites. It was destiny itself that condemned them to destroy each other. Yet how could he? He couldn't bring himself to wake her while she slept. He couldn't stop himself from holding while she cried. How could he destroy her when all he could think about was protecting her?

DTK snapped back to reality. Arachne was dying already, her body charred. Just as expected the Keshin was furious. Was she still going with the plan after all? No, she attacked the Keshin head on as well. She rushed towards him with the fury of a thousand suns. He stood there like it didn't matter. She struck at him the hits weren't landing right.

"Most people I fight are afraid" He said as he dodged her fiery hits "But you feel nothing". He swung at her and caused her to fall out of the room. They were fifteen stories up. A regular person would have fallen to her death but she was not normal at all. She stretched out her wings at took flight. If this was an air battle she would win for sure.

She didn't feel any certain emotion but she did feel the need to burn him. Her hits landed with more accuracy now. DTK stood in the room, or what was left of it. Arachne's body was a cinder in the corner. She never stood a chance. What a pitiful little witch she was.

The battle raged on. The Keshin used his clothing straps to hoist himself off the ground. She had landed another hit. The Keshin stopped playing around now. He opened his mouth and his weapon came out from his throat. He was firing shots at her. DTK stood still, he couldn't interfere. This was her fight yet again. He knew that he would die very soon. He couldn't protect himself from her blows. He couldn't harm her even if it meant his life. Then it happened

The decisive hit had been made. Phoenix was thrown to the ground. She crumpled in pain. The Keshin wavelength tore through her body. So she had lost. DTK slid down the castle and ran to her side. She couldn't die, wasn't she immortal and yet there she was. He realized that he was crying. Her wavelength was weak now.

"I don't understand" She whispered "Whoever you're crying for doesn't exist, I'm a witch, not some weapon of yours"

"You're a fool" DTK replied holding "I knew that you were a witch all along". He tears poured from his eyes. This couldn't be happening. But DTK knew it couldn't be an illusion either. His reaper body could see through that. Wasn't she immortal? Why was she dying?

Phoenix realized now why they had bonded as weapon meister pair. He had somehow found out about her, accepted it and then they were able to battle together. He was an idiot for not turning her in. Still now that she was dying she knew that she didn't have to kill him anymore. It was a peaceful thought.

"I guess it doesn't matter now" Phoenix said weakly "But I liked you despite everything"

She burst into flames and became ashes on the ground. What was this pain? It was excruciating. It was like fire, and at the same time like ice.

DTK didn't know what was happening. His body seemed to move on its own. All he could think about was the tearing pain in his soul. The Keshin had to die. The bands in his hair looped around now giving him three halos. He would destroy this monster. That was all that mattered now.


	8. Final Chapter

Author's Note: Forgive me…

Final Chapter: Reborn from the Ashes, A streak of fire!

DTK was feeling pain like no other. He spent a month bed ridden after Soul had cut a portion of his hair off. But that was nothing compared to this. He was certain that he had her. Liz and Patty had already run off, but he didn't need to use death cannon. He rushed at the Keshin with only his fury. The three bands around his soul began to spin wildly. They would make pieces out of the Keshin. Even though the attack was rushing at full fury, Asura seemed unfazed.

"Most people feel fear when they face me" He mused "But you feel sad". Sad was an understatement. Sad was like calling a hurricane, a light rain. He was devastated. The only person he truly loved was gone. She had disintegrated into ashes which the wind freely picked at. For that calling him sad, DTK would have to punish Asura.

DTK blindly swung at Asura who managed to dodge half the attacks. The other half tore through his bandaging and into his skin. Asura winced from the pain. This kid was good

"You can't hope to defeat me" Asura said "Child Reaper, do you really think some self righteous cliché bull $&!t is going to affect me". He laughed. DTK didn't hear his words though, all he could think about was revenge.

DTK was surrounded in the orb of his soul. The sheer force from his soul's wavelength kept him a few feet of the ground. DTK was encircling Asura looking for a chance to strike. DTK would strike as soon as he saw an opening. There it was, Asura's left side was slightly unguarded. DTK rushed at the chance and shot his reaper's wavelength into Asura's skin. Asura took internal damage, several of his ribs fractured.

"This is starting to get annoying" Asura said holding his side. This kid was better than expected. It was ironic, now that Asura finally let go of his fear of dying, that he would die.

"I am the master of death" DTK said "None escape my grasp". He sent out a death strike, one of the sanzu lines on his soul protruded outward. It became a tightened band on Asura. There was no need to gloat, no time for antics, only the act. Blood splattered everywhere, causing DTK's suit to get dirty. But he didn't care, he felt nothing now.

How could he enjoy a balanced world when it seemed so surreal to him. It was then that he noticed in Phoenix's ashes was her soul. It was tucked into the dirt. DTK picked it up. It was vibrating with its wings tucked into it sides. So this was all that was left of her. DTK felt his tears welling up. He forced them back down. He wrapped his arms around the floating orb. If this was all that was left of her, he would protect this orb for all of eternity.

It was then that the orb sprung from his embrace. Its wings unfurled and caught on fire. The ashes from the ground swirled up around the orb. She was immortal after all, as a Phoenix she freely passed between life and death. The ashes became like flesh again. DTK looked at her blazing form in wonder. Phoenix curled her wings inward to protect her naked body from observing eyes.

"You should have run" Phoenix said. She had just come back from the other side. On the other side was her mother. Yes, during the time that Phoenix was at DWMA, the Grand Witch had died. No one bothered to tell her this. She had been the Grand Witch for the last few weeks. Her mother was stuck in Purgatory and in hopes to get out, spilled all the secrets that she kept while she was alive.

"You were my immortality" The Grand Witch said. She seemed calm about the whole affair. Phoenix knew that her time was limited. She would soon be reborn again. She had to get all the information

"Tell me about the Magic eye" Phoenix coaxed in a rushed way. Time was slipping.

"The Magic eye gave me the strength to keep you in a fetal stage" The Grand Witch continued "While you remained inside my body, I could borrow you're attributes". So the Grand Witch was using her all along. The Grand Witch never treated Phoenix as a daughter, only as a tool. It was a twist of fate that forced the Grand Witch to train her as a successor.

"Why did you send me on that mission then?" Phoenix asked

"That one was easy, I didn't want you to see me die" The Grand Witch replied. Why didn't she want Phoenix to be there? "I didn't think you would succeed in killing the Grim Reaper and I was right because here you are"

"I am the Grand Witch now" Phoenix said. She didn't want to know anymore, she had heard enough. She blinked a couple of times and she was alive again. DTK was standing in front of her flabbergasted.

"Run" Phoenix said. She was now the Grand Witch. Things were about to change drastically. Now that she had accepting the responsibility, witches near and far felt her pulse. They would gather and flock towards her to hear the new rule. Phoenix smirked and then she disappeared. DTK was standing by himself. Where had she gone?

Suddenly a screen appeared in thin air. His father was trying to reach him.

"Hello son" Lord Death said in his comical voice. He waved his foam hands to say hi. "Liz and Patty have just told me everything. Come home, son, we need to debrief"

For now he would return to DWMA, but soon he would search for her. What would he say when he found her though?

"Father, I have defeated the Keshin" DTK said. His voice sounded flat. He felt so lonely right now. Phoenix had risen from the dead yet he could do nothing. He should have said something but instead he remained silent. Why did he just let her vaporize into thin air like that?

DTK continued to explain to his father all that happened. Lord death listened patiently nodding now and then. Then Spirit came into the room, the door creaked slowly because he had barely any strength to move it. He looked severely ill. Lord Death seemed as though he expected it.

"Just as I thought" Lord Death said looking at Spirits green complexion "Now that the sway of magic has changed, so have all the witch's souls" The sway of magic came from the Grand Witch, because the old Grand Which sided more with evil so did all witches. So consuming a witch's soul was like consuming a powerful Keishan egg. This was what made a weapon become a powerful Death Scythe. Now that Phoenix was the Grand Witch, the sway of magic made witches souls become more like human souls. It was as though Spirit had consumed a human soul, he was a cursed weapon now.

Spirit lay bedridden for weeks. Maka and Soul were searching for leads but it was like all the witches had disappeared. Finally they caught a break just when they were about to return back to DWMA empty handed for the ninth time. They were sent on a mission to find a witch. Eight times they found empty homes. But this time, there was a very old witch that said rocking in her gingerbread house.

"I would have eaten you" She said rocking slowly back and forth. She had explained that all the witches had gone to meet the new grand witch.

"But now I feel sorry from my past deeds, the sway of magic had moved my heart" She said sadly. She had eaten countless children to keep herself young but now after a few months without it she was on the verge of death. She was also too weak to make the journey to the grand fortress. She explained that only people with magic could feel the pull of the fortress and find their way to it. So basically the old witch didn't know where it was until she started walking towards it.

"I think its better this way" The old witch said "Maybe I'll get lucky and somehow make it to a better place". Her rocking chair creaked back and forth then ceased. She had died in front of them. Maka didn't know how she felt at that moment but decided to close the witch's eyes and cover her with a blanket.

"We were so close to finding it this time" Maka said.

"What do you mean?" Soul said clearly confused

"Well, we don't know where the grand fortress is, and we have no way of finding it" Maka began

"We have Blair" Soul said. Maka's eyes widened. How come she didn't think of that? That was brilliant. Though Blair wasn't a true witch, she had magic, and perhaps it would lead her to the fortress. They quickly rushed back to ask her about it.

"Hey cutie" Blair said greeting Soul. As usual his nose began to bleed.

"We wanted to ask you about the fortress" Maka said.

"What are you talking about" Blair asked clearly not understanding it.

"I mean do you know where the Grand fortress is" Maka said impatiently.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Blair said happily. She suddenly gave Soul a big hug which caused his nose to bleed even more.

"An old witch from our mission told us people with magic were pulled by the fortress" Maka said

"Now that you mention it, every night for the past week I've been waking up in odd places" Blair said thoughtfully.

"Where did you wake up?" Maka asked bluntly.

"The fish shop, the forest, the lake" She said listing them. These places were in a direct line. Blair was moving towards the fortress in her sleep so, all they had to do was follow her sleep walking body to find the Grand Witch. Maka and Soul informed Lord Death of their plan. He seemed ecstatic, perhaps now Spirit could finally get out of bed. He was in a sort of trance now in order to keep the curse from spreading. DTK was joined their mission eagerly. Perhaps this was the chance to finally see Phoenix again.

That night they followed Blair's sleeping form past the fish shop, through the woods, around the lake and then there was a door that appeared before them" Blair didn't walk through because she was deep sleep. DTK however didn't waste a second he opened the door a walked through. Suddenly the door was fading, they had to act fast. Maka and Soul walked through as well.

When they arrived to other side, they found themselves with throngs of witches. Immediately they were caught. The next second they were thrown into cells.

"I don't know how you got here but we'll have to deal with you later" The Guard witches said as they walked back to the meeting hall. In the distant they heard Phoenix's voice. DTK wanted badly to break out but the bars were magically fortified. Even though the witch's coven was no longer evil, it didn't mean they were any less strong. Their magic was as potent as ever.

"I am glad to see another great turn out this night" Phoenix said "You have all accepted the new sway of magic, and my rule as your New Grand Witch. Because you have done so, I can promise you peace and protection under my wing. I know that many of you have done many evils to free yourselves of death. I cannot free you from death but I can free you from fear. Be good to others and I promise you that your deeds will never die. This is now the witch's way"

They hear cheering and clapping. It lasted for a few minutes and then it died down. Phoenix continued to talk about a few topics. It appeared that some witches were resistant to her rule. She proposed a method to convince them in to her fold or take away there magic otherwise. It was well accepted. DTK stood silently listening to her voice.

She suddenly appeared before them. The bars unlocked.

"What are you doing here" She asked. She looked angry. She wasn't expecting to feel such a rush of emotion from seeing DTK. Her memories of him burned to the surface. DTK felt the same and he couldn't stop himself from pulling her into an embrace.

"Let me go" Phoenix said but she didn't protest it with her body. DTK pushed his lips against hers. For a moment they were lost in each other. The idea occurred just for a split second that they could be together. But these were fantasies and delusions. Phoenix pushed him away.

"I would say maybe in the next life but we both know can't happen" Phoenix said turning away. She began walking away. She was right, there was no next life. Both Phoenix and DTK were immortal, this was the only life they had and they were destined to live it apart. DTK would love his mortal enemy for all eternity. There was no use crying over spilled milk now. DTK turned in the opposite direction. Phoenix looked back for a moment to see his retreating back. She walked on.

Eventually Phoenix blessed Spirit as an act of good faith. The DWMA had to find another way to create Death Scythes now. DTK was depressed for a while but then one day he began to straighten things up again. This was life though unfair was relentless. He would have to make do with the memories of her sleeping form, fiery personality, and warm soft lips. These would have to last forever. He had walked on, and so had she.

Author's Note: All my stories end up as tragedies but I did give you heads up in the beginning... anyways sorry again. I hope you enjoyed this story anyway while it lasted. I'll be working some other things soon enough whenever I feel like it :P

- V.T Reaver


	9. Part 2: Chapter 1: New Beginning

It had been three years since they last saw each other. DTK was looking much older now, and was almost ready to take the place of his father as Grim Reaper. Lord Death was not looking well these days. Several cracks were showing his face. DTK was sighing, he knew that there was only room for one Grim Reaper, and as soon as he took that place, his father would die. What a strange thing to think about.

The sanzu lines on DTK's hair were almost touching, and soon it would be time. Why was it now that flashes of Phoenix's face invading his mind? Lately he couldn't stop dreaming about her, dreams that quickly turned into nightmares. The vision of her receding back, while he called out to her, chilled him. He wondered where she was now, what she was doing. Somehow he suspected that these years of peace might have been her action.

Now that the sway of magic pushed witches to be good, Keishan souls were so hard to come by. On top of that if a weapon managed to get ninety-nine souls then a witch had to bless the weapon in order for it to become a reaper. DTK had tried hard to get Liz and Patty those souls in order to meet with a witch but there just weren't many Keishan souls around anymore.

"So, I guess you're thinking about her again" Liz said. How did she know, and how did she sneak up on him like that. He was too distracted

"I can tell because you didn't fold the toilet paper into a triangle" Liz continued. DTK quickly fell to the ground. Yes he was still the same about symmetry and something like not-triangulated toilet paper could ruin his life forever.

"How could I slip up at a time like this" DTK said with his face to the floor "I'm going to be lord death soon, and I still forget to fold the toilet paper"

Liz smirked, he was still the same. It was then that a large commotion stirred outside. DTK got up suddenly feeling as though she was there. He felt Phoenix as if she was some sort of wave permeating out to him. He was sure of it now. That was her soul frequency, perfectly harmonious. She was walking towards the house.

Phoenix wore a pointed hat that covered half her face. But it didn't conceal her mouth which was corners turned up, she was smirking. One the back of her trench coat were two holes that allowed for her wings to fit through. Her wings were tucked in, but seemed magical as the wind blew through them. She walked leisurely in her heels, with a grin on her face. A crowd of meisters and weapons, and teachers were walking behind her. They seemed angry. She finally got sick of it and turned to them

"Don't you have better things to do?" She said venomously at them.

"What are you doing here" Maka said tensely. She was in the throng of people. Witches and Meisters were on better terms than ever before but still they hated each other. Thousands of years of bad blood affects people, just because the killing stopped, doesn't mean the hate evaporates.

"I told you already meister, I was invited by the Grim Reaper himself," Phoenix said coolly, actually it was more coldly. Then she disappeared in a puff of smoke. DTK was tense, where did she go? He looked around frantically. She couldn't be gone again!

"Those people are so suffocating" Phoenix said from behind him. DTK quickly turned around, yet at the same time it felt dramatic as if it was in slow motion. She raised her head to greet his eyes. Her face had grown lovelier over the years. Her eyes seemed sad though she was smiling.

"So… ummm" DTK didn't know what to say. Phoenix was still smiling. "What did my father invite you for?" Phoenix raised her eyebrow at the question.

"For when you become the new lord death" Phoenix said. Ah yes that made sense, there was going to be a ceremony of sorts. It was a celebration of mixed emotions, just like how DTK was feeling at the moment. He felt a powerful urge to lean in and kiss her. Hadn't they walked different paths, wasn't it destiny that they would never be together? Yet here she was smirking at him, so carefree.

DTK was feeling so strange at the moment, so weak yet at the same time so overprotective. It was obvious that she needed no protection. DTK saw that her soul had swelled to an enormous size, well beyond the bounds of her body. DTK looked up her face again. She looked unsure and as though she was conflicted with pain now.

"I missed you" She whispered. DTK rushed at her, and embraced her. He pressed his lips upon hers, as he did in his dreams every other night. He could feel her smile and so he pressed deeper. Her hand brushed through his hair. The thought of his hair being messy didn't even faze him. It was as if DTK body moved on its own. It moved with forcefulness. He pushed her back against the wall as if to prevent her from escaping. Where was all this coming from? It was if all that he felt was welling up now. His body pressed against hers.

DTK didn't want this to end, because there last kiss had ended with a three year separation. But he felt her hand gently pushing against him, signaling for him stop. He lingered for a moment but eventually parted.

He looked deep in to her eyes. She was smiling sadly and then she brushed his hair back into place with her hand. This was too good to be true. DTK was afraid now, what if she just vaporized? Perhaps he had gone mad or worse what if he was just dreaming, again. DTK kept his hand firmly on her each side of her waist to convince himself that this was all real. Phoenix felt conflicted again as if something were bothering her.

"What's wrong" DTK said hoping that the answer wouldn't be, 'You're a bad kisser".

"I don't know how this is all going to work out" She answered unable to meet his eyes.

DTK didn't know the answer. He didn't want to think about her leaving again. He only wanted to be with her, right now, in every way. He surprised himself, feeling out of control. His hand started to unbutton his suit. Phoenix looked up at him with sorrowful eyes. But it disappeared as passion overtook reason. She began to kiss him again. Their bodies somehow found a way to his bed room. He laid her down. He took one last look at her reclined form and then he began.


	10. Chapter 2: Suggestion

DTK was blissfully asleep. Phoenix's head rested on his chest, but she was wide awake. What had she done? She had lost her senses. He was muttering in his sleep but that wasn't what kept her awake, it was the fact that things were going to be really messed up from now on.

She had been keeping a secret for some time now. The peace there last three years wasn't going to stay that way. The Keishan was coming back. Phoenix had seen it in her dreams. She had done every precaution to keep the force of good strong, but like a dam, when there's too much pressure it breaks. The Keishan madness was coming back into the world, Phoenix didn't know when but she felt it was soon.

Phoenix shot her eyes upward slightly to gaze at DTK's sleeping face. There was a knock at the door.

"Kid, Hey it's me!" Liz said from the other side. She shook the lock. She had seen DTK and Phoenix disappear into his room a while back. She had gathered her thoughts and was ready so scream at them both. DTK woke up. Phoenix was gone again. She must have used magic to leave. Or maybe it was a dream after all. But then why was he naked. No it wasn't a dream. He shook his confusion out of his head.

Phoenix wasn't there when he woke up. Why did it matter so much as if she had stolen something he wanted? Yes he wanted to see her sleeping face. He had wanted to wake up seeing her. Instead he woke up to an angry girl screaming at him. Him with his hair ruffled and all exposed.

Liz bursted in and saw his naked form. Liz quickly turned red and averted her eyes. DTK quickly covered himself with the sheets. Liz realized that they had gone all the way. This was so idiotic, what was he doing at a time like this? He was going to replace Lord Death in a matter of weeks. Lord death was suffering for nothing, fading day by day until DTK turned 18.

Patty then appeared in the door way. She saw that DTK was gathering more sheets to cover his stuff. Patty wasn't at all embarrassed. Though she was older now, she still was oblivious to everything.

"Lord Death is calling for you" Patty said cheerfully. So Lord Death was strong enough to be awake today. He spent most of the time in a catatonic state. DTK quickly got dressed to go see him in the death room.

DTK had severe cracks in his mask now. It looks so strange, how weak was he now, at the verge of death. He was lying in a bed with vials of medicine around him. They were labeled and colored. He was also surrounding by his death scythes, spirit, soul and Tsubaki. Their respective meisters were there too. DTK realized as soon as he saw them gathered there. This was a war council. Why would they be doing this, wasn't there peace for the last three years?

"Kid, I'm glad you're here" Spirit said, with uncharacteristic seriousness.

"What's going on here" DTK said taking a steep back. War council! What was going on?

"We're still waiting for one person. Hold your questions till them" Stein said. Stein and Spirit both seemed to know the whole story. Tsubaki, Black Star, Maka, and Soul all looked confused. So he wasn't the only one who didn't know what was going on. Suddenly in a puff of smoke Phoenix had appeared also.

"What she doing here" Maka said furiously. She was part of the mob before, the mob that didn't know what was going on.

"I don't really have to be here either way" Phoenix said while smirking. DTK tried to meet her eyes but she didn't turn to him "Shall I leave and let your school burn to ash". Her voice was so controlled unlike before. Her screams of ecstasy have to come back to him now.

"The Keishan will be making a return" Phoenix said coldly at Maka. Her furious anger turned into shock. Maka disliked witches but she hated and feared the Keishan. How could return, wasn't he killed by DTK? DTK felt his insides twist. What was going on here?

"How do you know this" Maka questioned. She seemed at the moment finally grasping the severity of the situation.

"Finally a chance for me, Black Star, to fight to my full capacity" Black star said grinning.

"Maka Chop" Screamed Maka as she used a book on his head.

"Tell us everything" Maka said to Phoenix.

"I've been having premonitions about the Keishan's return" Phoenix began "I don't know exactly when but I can make a guess, it will be when you are at you're weakest"

"What do you mean?" Soul said. His hands were in his pockets, and he was tensely reclining against the cloud walls. He was in a defensive stance as though in battle. It was then that DTK got what was happening.

"It will be when I become the new Lord Death, when I turn 18" He said "The school will be at its weakest, during the change of leadership". That would be soon. DTK was turning 18 in a few weeks.

"We can avoid catastrophe with preparation" Phoenix said coldly. She seemed indifferent to it all though. DTK couldn't help but sweat a little. She was pretending like nothing had happened between them. Suddenly the room grew silent.

"I want to align with this school, to fight the Keishian return" Phoenix continued to say into the silence. She turned her face to DTK finally. Their eyes met. He got lost him her deep pools for a moment. She was smirking up at him

"Of course, I have no reason to trust you guys" Phoenix said "I'll need some leverage"

"What are you proposing" Lord Death said. He had remained quiet until know, being heavily drugged. But the way he said things seemed as though he knew what was about to happen.

"I'm proposing a proposal" Phoenix said.


	11. Chapter 3: Together

"This isn't the dark ages" Stein commented it in the background "People don't do things like this anymore". His glasses shadowed his face.

"Hmmm, I guess we could always go with option two" Phoenix said "I'll remain impartial, while a new stronger Keishian burns this place to the ground" Several people in the room flinched at the ultimatum but Maka remained unimpressed

"Stronger?" Maka asked.

"Of course Asura's going to be stronger this time, else DTK could just take him on just like last time. It's about balance and since evil has nearly disappeared, it's the nature of the universe for it to make a stronger come back" Phoenix said indifferently.

DTK winced. A stronger Keishan would really burn the academy to the ground. Last time he only managed to kill Asura, using the agony of Phoenix's pseudo –death. The thought of her not existing in the world was more torment then he could bear. How strong would he come back this time? Was he strong enough to shadow the school in madness? Maybe even the world?

"Are we going to seal the deal?" Phoenix said smirking now. Everyone seemed tense. Finally Lord Death spoke up

"It's up to you, Kiddo" Lord Death said to DTK. Everyone turned to him. DTK's head was all muddled. Why was Phoenix acting like this? It was all very confusing. She was putting up some sort of front right. For what… what was the point of all this planning if they couldn't just be together?

"I love you" DTK said grabbing Phoenix in for an embrace "You don't need to do this". The smirk on her face vanished, as though she was a chess player that just got caught off guard. The pieces took an unexpected move. Everyone seemed shocked except Lord Death. Phoenix didn't expect this to happen but not that it did only bad things were to come. It would have been better if DTK had followed along

"Love? ... Are you crazy? She's a witch" Maka said.

"Ugg, so troublesome" Phoenix said. DTK froze in place. Was his love troublesome? Everyone in the room seemed to be frozen in ice.

"I don't understand, I thought you loved me" DTK said sadly. She had whispered it to him before, he was sure of it, but then again it was only in the heat of passion. Phoenix looked up at him, of course she did, but was he a fool.

"The council will follow me no matter what decisions I make. It is the sway of magic that gives me this power. But your kind will only follow you if you are strong, otherwise lord death will make a comeback" Phoenix said. Would there be a rise against him if he married her for love rather than necessity. He didn't want to be lord death if it meant that.

"I don't want to be lord death anymore, not if it means that we have to hide behind politics" He said coldly. Phoenix smirked, it was an honorable gesture but foolish.

"It is your destiny, you are a grim reaper. You will become Lord Death. The only problem is if your people will follow you" Phoenix said kindly. She smiled sadly at him, giving him the same look she did all those years ago. Every one observed there tender behavior towards each other. They had clearly missed something. Stein looked into their souls, trying to gain an understanding. Their souls vibrated the same, as if they were still the same weapon, Meister pair from long ago. DTK softly cupped the side of her face. He was afraid that his dream would vanish into the thin air.

Why was she looking at him so sadly, was she going to give up again? They had parted sadly before and he was not going to let this happen again. Phoenix raised her hand to brush his hair out of his eyes, making his hair exactly symmetrical. Maka felt bad for an instant, but still she was a witch, not someone to be trusted. Yet this moment was so tender, so truthful.

"But… she's a… witch" Maka sputtered. Yet she did not even care herself at this moment. She was a witch, nothing but an ingredient for a death synth and yet she loved. Maka stared at the star crossed lovers. There was nothing as frightening, and nothing as beautiful. Maka shifted herself from attacker to defender. Maka suddenly stood in front of them as if she were shielding them from Stein and Spirit. Stein's expression darkened further.

"Run" She said. Soul sighed in the background. This was another one of Maka's crazy ideals. Still he turned into a weapon for her. He didn't really care about DTK, but he was always ready to back up Maka. Stein and Spirit didn't seem fazed by their defiance. Instead they looked past Maka, she was not the enemy. Phoenix was the true enemy, scheming to get rid of the academy once and for all. Wasn't it her that infiltrated the school three years ago, in order to kill lord death and DTK. They wouldn't forget that after some bogus love scene.

"They're not going anywhere" Stein said reaching out for Spirit. He instantly turned into a scythe. Phoenix didn't seem too impressed, but DTK wanted to take Maka's advice. DTK suddenly grabbed Phoenix's hand and made a run for it, Spirit and Stein suddenly rushed to block them at the entrance. They weren't going anywhere.

"Life has given me a second chance" DTK said loudly to them. "This time I'm not going to let things slip, this time I'm going to fight for it"

DTK then looked back at Phoenix pleading for her to comply, for her to fight as well. She sighed but understood what he wanted. Smoke filled the air and they were gone. Things were getting very complicated now.

"What are we going to do now" Phoenix said. She had transported them on to a ledge of a cliff. The sun was setting down on the horizon. The sky was a mix of brilliant warm colors. DTK wasn't the least bit worried about being an exile. He smiled at Phoenix. Her worried look subsided for now. Because now, they were together even if the moment was evanescent.

He leaned in and kissed her lightly. Whatever they had to face, whatever was coming their way, whether it was Asura or the academy, they would face it together.


	12. Chapter 4: Lemon Alert! 00

Author's Alert : Notice that I wrote Alert rather than Note, that is because this is a very VERY mature section, but I have made it so that you DON'T have to read it. There is NO Story line! OKAY! THIS PART IS RATED R, also no own… no sue…,

Phoenix had made it back to the witch's coven with DTK. Though they revealed the true nature of everything, the witches seemed more accepting of them then the academy. Sure the road would be hard from now on, but the reward was worth it.

Phoenix couldn't help but giggle. DTK was hovering over her, on his hands and knees. He leaned in to bite the nub of her ear. She felt her face heat up, though she spent most of the time worrying about the future, this was one moment were she could think of nothing but passion.

DTK proceeded to kiss the nape of her neck, gently. She smiled and using her hand pulled his head closer signaling for more. He became aggressive at once. His lips buried deeply into her neck. Phoenix inhaled sharply, he bit her. The stinging was alarming but her body flooded with desire. His possessiveness manifested itself on her neck. He proceeded to bit the other side of her neck so that it would be symmetrically. She allowed him, bracing herself for the sting. Instead she felt a heat that burned up her body. S

"What do you want" He asked breathing in her scent. His voice was gentle in her ear. She smirked and pushed him back into a sitting position. This would be fun. DTK looked down at Phoenix. Her head was already on his erected length. God, she liked to play with him. Her soft lips sent rolls of ecstasy on him. Her mouth was warm and wet. She was skilled and quick. He moaned with pleasure, his orange orbs filled with fervor. But just as he was on the brink of coming, she stopped.

DTK looked down again. Phoenix was smirking wickedly at him. It was as though she was winning this imaginary game between them. No he could let her win this time. DTK roughly got up and pressed Phoenix against the bed. She was giggling again. Did she think she had won?

"What am I going to do with you" DTK said seductively. His body was sliding down hers. Where was he going with this? His face was positioned over her womanhood, by the time she realized what he had in mind, it was too late. She felt his tongue touch her clit. It sent a chill up her spine.

"Wait, stop" She said. Heat was flooding over her body. She could barely control herself. Now he was winning. His tongue slid inward causing her to gasp. Her hand was still pushing away at his head. He smirked into her skin.

"You… enjoy… teasing… me" Phoenix said between gasps with difficulty. It was hard to form coherent thoughts. He smiled.

"Don't you?" he replied. He moved upward. His mouth was now at her nipple. His tongue encircled it. He was getting really good at this. He used one hand to massage her other breast. She moaned with passion but could do nothing to return the pleasure. His other hand slid down the length of her body. With two fingers he possessed her.

Her breathing became rapid at the intrusion. He was totally winning and she didn't care. Then he stopped. A noise like whimper escaped her lips.

"Don't…" She said, but she didn't want to say. He smirked.

"Don't what?" He asked. She was blushing furiously.

"Don't stop…." She weakly said. He was winning to the point of cruelty. But when she uttered those words, fire encompassed his body. Quickly he positioned her. He hovered over straddling the sides of her legs. Then he pushed in. She moaned at the act. Everything was so hot. Everything was so satisfying

He moved slowly at first, teasing her. Her back arched but DTK wanted to look into her eyes as he did this. He leaned forward speeding up.

"Look at me" He said. She complied with his demand and he sped up some more. Her hawk eyes peered into his soul. He shuddered, his body giving in to pleasure. He sped up even more. Phoenix felt the heat bubble almost to the point of breaking. She couldn't control herself. Her body arch fully accepting him.

"Take me, Take me" She screamed. Her hands pulled him closer, and her nails dug into his back. He complied and went to maximum velocity. She screamed loudly. He moaned out her name.

Then simultaneously the feeling of release came. They shuddered into each other. A moment of pure bliss passed between them. Then he rolled to the side.

"I love you" He said. She smiled

"I love you, too" She responded. His hand brushed her hair back. This was the happiest moment they had ever had. She closed her eyes and smiled as sleep pushed at her.

Author's Note: I was blushing the whole time while writing this…! Hope you enjoyed it!


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